made on the joists and a temporary floor installed to allow use of the building to continue. The pulpit was removed as the floor could no longer support it. In 2012 a group of volunteers redecorated the church in less than two weeks. The non-porous render was removed and an approved lime wash applied to the walls. There was then a wait for the walls to dry completely and the rebuilding of the chancel step to be approved. Other structural and maintenance problems were addressed in the years 2012–13, including re-digging of soak-aways to help the drainage and drying of the church and a significant number of minor and medium-priority issues that were highlighted in the 2010 quinquennial report. Bells The tower has a ring of six bells. The third bell is medieval, cast by the Salisbury foundry about AD 1400. John Wallis of Salisbury cast the fifth bell in 1616 and John I Tosier, also of Salisbury, cast the tenor bell in 1684. Mears and Stainblank of the Whitechapel Bell Foundry cast the treble, second and third bells in 1931. Also in 1931 the other bells were cleaned and refurbished and the ring was rededicated. Deanery and parish The parish was in Poole Deanery until the mid-1990s, when it was made part of Milton and Blanford Deanery. On 1 January 2010 the parish reverted to Poole Deanery. In October the parish together with the Lytchett Minster and Upton Team Ministry formed the Benefice of the Lytchetts and Upton. This is largely a resource-sharing benefice. St Mary's retains its own vicar but as part of a wider team of clergy. Clergy Rectors of the Parish 1313–1977 Rectors of St Mary's 1313–1977, as transcribed by local historian Shirley Percivel in 1982: Clergy since 1977 References Further reading External links St Mary's Lytchett Matravers Church of England church buildings in Dorset Grade I listed churches in Dorset